The University of Wolverhampton conferred Doctor of Letters on Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley at a function here on Thursday.
Accepting the honour, Mr. Mukherjee said he derived happiness and contentment from his long innings in public life, having seen India progress from a poor, developing country to a position on the global stage where “nothing seems impossible to achieve.”
“Throughout my public life, which extends to nearly five decades, I have always thought and weighed the likely consequences of my actions on the well-being of the poorest of the poor, before taking any decision. This consideration, I must emphasise, has served me well.”
Mr. Mukherjee said public policymaking had become increasingly difficult due to growing uncertainties in a globalised world. “The challenge is to continuously track and scientifically analyse these developments keeping in mind the greatest good of the greatest number.”
Emphasising that the biggest challenge for India would be to meet the expectations of its young population and to equip them with skills, he said this was a “powerful reason” to facilitate greater contacts and exchanges in the field of higher education.
Both Mr. Jaitley and Mr. Mukherjee pointed out the uniqueness of the occasion, which was honouring the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, praising this as a measure of the maturity the country's politics had achieved.
Challenge
Mr. Jaitley said the challenge before the country's politicians was to strengthen and restore their credibility in their efforts to undertake public service.
“There are some basic principles and values that guide us whether in the government or in the Opposition. We are here to make the country stronger. In government, we pursue the cause of governance, while in the Opposition we support the government in the interest of the nation and counter it when there is a threat to society and the larger good,” Mr. Jaitley said.
Awardees felicitated
University of Wolverhampton Chancellor and Labour peer Swraj Paul and Vice-Chancellor Caroline Gipps felicitated the awardees and lauded their contributions to the country.
Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram will be awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Social Sciences by the same university at a ceremony in Chennai on May 30.
Jaitley praises Pranab
PTI reports:
In a show of bonhomie, Mr. Jaitley showered praise on Mr. Mukherjee.
“In Parliament, whether he [Mr. Mukherjee] has been in Opposition or government, he is almost like a professor himself, who knows India's politics, India's Parliament, who knows the country and its governance almost like the back of his hand,” Mr. Jaitley said.
Mr. Jaitley said Mr. Mukherjee “can spell out events from the past from his memory and therefore for me to be clubbed with him is almost like a dual honour and privilege, which is being conferred on me.”
Thanking the Wolverhampton University for choosing a senior Minister and an Opposition leader together from India for conferring the degrees, he said it reflected the maturity of Indian democracy.
“When I entered Parliament, he [Mr. Mukherjee] was already a tall figure for more than three decades by the time. I have always believed that the competence, calibre and eminence of our political leaders are also determined by the longevity of the process in which they are a part. The very fact that you managed such a long innings itself is an indication of your distinction,” Mr. Jaitley said.